Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry has asserted that the legal proceedings against Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad are a matter for the court to decide, not his lawyers. This statement comes in response to Prasad’s remarks concerning the charges filed by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) against him.
FICAC had planned to file multiple charges against Prasad on September 5, alleging violations related to the declaration of assets, income, and liabilities, in accordance with Section 24 (l)(b)(iv) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
Prasad has maintained that his attorneys are managing the legal situation and declined to provide further comments previously. The situation intensified on the same day following the resignation of former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai after discussions with the Judicial Services Commission. She has been succeeded by newly appointed Commissioner Barbara Malimali.
Chaudhry insisted that Prasad’s assertion regarding his lawyers’ stance on the charges is irrelevant. “It is for the courts, not his lawyers, to decide on the merits of the charges,” he stated.